Oscillating electric fan



Feb. 12, 1935.

. BUTTNr-:R 1,991,080

OSCILLATING ELECTRIC FAN Filed Dec. l5, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. l2, 1935. 4 c. BUTTNER 1,991,030

OSCILLATING ELECTRIC FAN Filed Dec. 15, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

' ATTORNEYS. 1 ,-1- l Feb. 12, 1935. c. BVUTTNER 1,991,080

OSCILLATING ELECTRIC FAN Filed nec. 15, 1951 s Smeets-sheet 3 l "-NENTOR. @f2/44M A TTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 12, 195 o i l y UNITED-STATES PATENT.

V1,991,0fm j o oscILLATINo Essonne Y u Carl. Buttner, Fulton, 'Y.,;assign'or ,to V,The .l i' v Hunter Fan af-Motor Company, Fulton, N. Y.; y v l j j ,ma corporation of New York i o 1 D i Application December` 15, 1931,seria1Ne.5s1,19o drummen` (c1.2s`o`2i1 7 ,j This invention relates to electric fans` ofthe housing is mounted to oscillate'on asuitable base, type which includes a motor housing t mounted and thisbasaasvhere, shown, consists of a lower on abase to have an oscillating movement and a section 15 and an upper section'ld'pivoted there-Y fan mounted on the motor shaft, and has for its to on a transversely extending axis. The lower object a particularly simple and efcient'mechf section 15],may bemounted in vertical position anism for disconnecting the motor housingifrom on a shelf'or the like or on. an uprightwall'.v The the oscillaitng mechanism sothat thefan remains upper section is provided with aspi'ndle 17 and a `in a fixed position and connectable at will so that leaf or hingedportion 18 provided with' a pivot theofan willA oscillate when desired.4 o It Vfurther bearing 19,A the leaf' .extending :between 'complethas for its object a particularly simple, eicient mentalleavfes 20' on the lower base section 15, the 10 and compact arrangement of' the'4 oscillating leaves20 being also provided with bearing openmechanism and the manual control therefor. It `ings. Thesectionsland 16 of the base are held furtherhas for its object a fan in which the'fan in their adjusted or, angular positionas will be housing lis adjustable or tiltable `into difierent hereinafter described. VThyemhousin'g 11 is providangular positions aboutf a transverse `axis and ed ywith vafhub `2'1"fs'wivelled 'on the spindle 17 and 15 means for holding itin its adjusted position coin-` hasits` lower end locatediin a channel 22 at the bined with the manualV control means gior 'conbase of thespindle for.forming` an oil-ctightfjoint. necting and disconnecting` the cscillatirig-mecha- The hub 21v dpends from aiower or bottomlsecnism from `the motor. Other objectsdwill appear tion ,23fof` the housingll. The; upper sectionfof throughout `the specification, l, l o 1 i The invention consists in the novel features is ormed withsupports for the -motorand bearand inthe combinations and constructionshere-l ings'V fdrA `the `motor "shaft andlfor the motion`` inaftersetforth'and claimed. 3 Y i transmitting(fmechanism `hereinaiterfdescribed. In describing `this invention reference is had to The upper section Iis provided!va'ritha;v removable 25 the accompanying drawings in which like characfV backjcover portionatr x. l 1 245 ters designate corresponding parts in all `the j'he moti@ trangmittingmmegsjof V@fregi-,11mg views. l i r l .o y l the oscillation `of thehousingll relatively to the o 1 Figure 1 is aA .longitudinal sectional View base ,or Vabout the spindle 17 maybe of any well through the fan housing and contiguouspartson knownconstruction, that here shown `compris-"- the housing is the major` part of thehousingv and 2Q the line 1 1, Figure 2. ing aworm wheel 25 mountedonthe-upper,end of 30 Figure 2 is a rear elevation, partly in section," thcshaft 26-whi'oh is journalledva suitable npf parts being broken away and a portion of the fan right r,bearing :in the upper section of thethousing housing being omitted, taken approximately `on 11, the worm wheel 25 `meshing with a wormv`2' 7 on` `the' plane 2 2, Figure 1. theA motor shaft13,apini on,2 on the lower end Figure` 3 is a detail View of theiportonoi the of the `snafgg mershng'witha gear 29 mounted 357` motion transmitting mechanism between the m0: on a" suitable spindle 30and alink-.Sl located'in tor shaft and the spindle of the base `to effectthe thev upper `portion lof ,thet-bottom section 23and oscillation of the ian and is takenon lineBe-, mountedatpneend onthe crank pin 32 on the Figure 1. lower side of Vthe geart29 and connected Vat its 40 A Figure 4 iS anenlalged sectional view on line other end eccentrically tothe .spindley 17. The- 40 4,-"1, Figure 2- o o general form of this ,oscillating` mechanism forms `Figure 5 is an elevation of the Ioperating memno part of this invention, which relates` to Athe y ber for the oscillating mechanism. connecting` and disconnecting of the mechanism Figure 6 is an elevation looking to theeleft in into `and `oui-,of `motion transmitting` `relation kto f Figure 5. thehousing.` ,p I .o r t Y i y 45 o Figure 7 is an end View of the sleeve shown in l As here illustrated, `thetconnecting rod 3 1 is Figure 4 in Which the Operating mechanism connectedl to the spindle through a clutch meme shown inzFigures and 6'is mounted. ber or section 34-, located at theupperend of, the Figure 8 is a detail View of the spindle section spindle 17 .within the housing 23," thelink being 0f the base. 1 j t mounted unan. eccentric pin 35 on the section or l1 designates; generally a housing, 12 a motor disk 34. :The `sectiongor disk 34 has an axle `3 6 of any suitable construction mounted inthe houslocatedr in a coaxialbore37 inthe upper endof ing and having arotor or shaft13, this extending the spindle 17.V Normallyduring the operation to the outside of the housing and having a fan 14 of the fan or the motor, the clutch section or disk mounted thereon in the usual manner. rThe 34:,will oscillateidlybut whenclutched to'thespine 55.

dle,'the fan housing will oscillate. The means for clutching the section 34 to the spindle comprises a shiftable clutch section 38 in the form of a pin extending lengthwise of the spindle 17 and located in a suitable passage 39 therein. The pin 38 has a tapered point 40 at its upper end for entering a tapered hole 41 in the disk 34. The pin 38 isspring-pressed by aV spring 42 so when the force holding it out of engaged position, is released, the clutch section or pin 38 will move into engaged position, and if when released it is not in line with the hole 41, it willsnap into the hole 4l when thehole 41 registers therewith during the idle oscillation of the disk 34. The pin 38 is provided with an extension extending 'crosswise of the bearing opening 19 of the spindle 16 to the base section `15.

The means for operating the clutch section 38 includes a member arranged coaxially with the pivotal jointbetween the sections 15 and 16 of the base. The pivotal joint comprises a sleeve 45 extending into thebearing openings of one of the leaves 20 and the leaf 18, and having a stud 46 extending through the bearing opening in the 'other leaf 20, the sleeve having an annular collar or head 47 at its outer end, and a nut 48 threading on the stud against the contiguous leaf 20, the leaf and the nut being here shown as having coacting conical friction faces as at 49, Thus by loosening the nut, the angle of the spindle portion can be varied relatively tov the sectionA l5 which is secured to the shelf or a wall.

The operating member for the clutch section 38, which, asbefo-re stated, is arranged'coaxially with this joint is here shown asa stud or spindle 50 extending into the bore of the sleeve 45 and having a handle or knurled head 51 at its outer 'end thrusting against the sleeve, the stud having gear teeth 52 at its inner end, which through an opening 53 in the sleeve 45, engage with rack teeth 54 provided on the lower end portion of the clutch section 38. Thus by turning the operating member 50 in one direction, the clutch section 38 will be withdrawn outof engagement with the disk or clutch section 34 and upon the releasing of the handle the spring 42 is free to re-engage the clutch sections. In order to hold. the clutch sectionin its retracted position, means is provided for latching itin its retracted position. This latch means, as seen in Figures 4 and 5, is a'pin or shoulder 55 provided in the head orcollar of the sleeve 45y and coacting with an inclined or cam-shaped tooth 56 provided on the opposing face of the head 51 of the operating member 50.v The operating member has a limited endwise movement against the action of a spring for frictionally or for impositively interlocking the pin with the tooth 56 or forY permitting the latching orV ratcheting operation.

57 designates a spring which encircles a screw 58 extending axially of the operating member 50 and which threads into the stud 46, the spring beinglocated in a suitablecounterbore in the operating' member 50 and thrusting at one end against the head of the screw and at its other end against the bottom of the counterbore. The spring thus tends to thrust the operating member 50`inwardly or against the pin 55. There is a narrow notch 59 arranged on one side of the tooth 56 and a wide notch 60 on the other side of sufficient length to permit the operating member toturn while the spring 42 is reacting to carry the point 40 of the clutch section 38 into the opening 41 of the clutch section or disk 34.

i The means for holding the housing 12 in any vone of a plurality of angular adjustments relative to the spindle 17 when the clutch section 38 is declutched from the section or disk 34, so that the fan may be permanently directed in any one of a number of angular directions, will now be described. In the illustrated embodiment of lmy invention, the clutch section 38 isprovided with a laterally extending shoulder 61 for "coacting with any one of a seriesrof internalnotches 62 provided in the hub 21, these notches being located to receive the shoulder 6l when the clutch section 38 is in its retracted position and are also so located that the shoulder 61 is clear of the notches 62 before the point 40 enters the opening 41 in the section'or disk 34. Hence by turning the operating member 50 to let the spring 42 react sufficiently to carry the shoulder 61 out of engagement with the notches 62 but retaining hold of the operating member 50, so as not to permit the conical point 4 0 to enter the openings 41 of the sectionordisk 34, the housing 12 can be turned to any angle and the clutch section 38 again'withdravvn against the action of its spring 42, carrying the shoulder into interlocking engagement with one of the notches 62 so that the housing is set to direct the fan at a certain angle. When the pin 61 clears the notches 62 it is located in an arcuate groove 63, the end walls 64 of which form stops for engaging the pin 61 and limiting the turningof the housing 11 soy that the pin will not be shifted outof juxtaposition to the hole 41v or out of the range of the hole. This might happen if the housing 11 were turned. by hand when the pin 61 was in the clearance above the teeth 62 and no means as the stops 64 provided to limit the range ofturningmovement of the housing.

In order to limit the tilting movement of thev section 16 relativetov the base section 15 when the section 15 is mounted on a shelf or table, one of `the leaves. 20 'of the base section 15 is provided with a screw '70 having' an end 71 which extends into a slot '72 in the leaf 18 of the spindle section 16, so that upon loosening ofthe nut 48 the spindle section and housingl carried thereby cannot be tilted so far forwardly or rearp Wardly that the fan during Ythe oscillation thereof Will encounter obstructions. Likewise, when the base section is mounted upon a Wall, the end '71 of the screw 70 enters a similar slotl 73 to avoid excessive tilting when the fan is mounted on the wall.

Owing to the housing and mounting thereof on the spindle, all the mechanism is located'in an oil-tight housing. Owing to the shiftable clutch section 38 the fan can be made an oscillating fan or stationary fan at will and owing to theradial adjustment due to the'shoulder 61 and the notches 62, the fan can be directed at any one of a plurality of iixed angles. Owing to the coaxial arrangement of the operating mechanism for the clutch section 38 with the joint between the'sections of the base, the structure is particularly compact and economical in manufacture.

What I claim is:`

l. In an electric fan, a base including upper and lower sections, the upper section being pivoted to the base to shift about a transverse axis, the upper section being formed with a spindle, a housing having a hub journalled on thespindle, a motor mounted in the housing, a fan mounted on the motor shaft outside the housing, motion transmitting means between the motor shaft and the spindle to cause oscillation of the housing,

' tion for connecting and disconnecting the motion transmitting means and the spindle andan operating member for the shiftable section arranged coaxially with the transverse vaxis of the sections of the base.

2. In an electric fan, a base including upper and lower sections, the upper` section being pivoted to the base to shift about a transverse axis, the upper section being formed with a spindle, a housing having a hub journalled on the spindle, a motor mounted in the housing, a fan mounted on the motor shaft outside the housing, motion transmitting means between the motor shaft and the spindle to cause oscillation of the housing, the motion transmitting means being located in the housing and including a shiftable clutch `section for connecting and disconnecting the motion transmitting means and the spindle and operating means for the shiftable section including a member arranged coaxially withthe transverse axis of the sections of the base, said operating means also including a member operable to tighten the 4joint between the sections of the base.

` 3. In an electric fan, a base including `upper and lower sections, the upper section being pivoted to the lower section about a transverse axis, the section having lapping hingeleaves` formed with bearing openings, a housing mounted on the upper section to oscillate about an upwardly extending axis,`a motor mounted in the housing, a

fan connected to the motor shaft outside'the housing, motion transmitting means between the motor shaft and the upper section of the base to effect oscillation of the housing including a shiftable clutch section extending lengthwise of the axis `ofvthe` upper section and crosswise of the pivotal axis between the sections, a sleeve extending through the bearing openings of the sectionsofthe base and having a threaded stud at one end and a nut threading on the stud against the outer face of one of the leaves, the sleeves having an opening in one side, an operating member `journalled inthe sleeve and having a head at its outer end, said member and the clutch section having coacting means ,whereby upon turning of the operating member, the motion` thereof is transmitted to the clutch section.

4. In an electric fan, a base including upper and lower sections, the upper section being pivoted to the lower section about a transverse axis,` the sections having hinge leaves formed with alined bearing openings, a housing mounted on to effect oscillation of the housing including a` shiftable clutch section extending lengthwise of the axis of the upper section and crosswise of the pivotal axis between the sections, a sleeve of the base.

extending through the bearing openings of the sections of the base and having a threaded stud at one end, a nut threading on the stud against the outer face of one of the leaves, the sleeve vhaving anopening in one side, an operating member journalled in the sleeve and having a head atvits outer end, said `member and the clutchsection having means coacting through said opening whereby upon turning of the operating member, the motion thereof is transmitted to the clutch section, ascrew extending axially of the operating memberand threading into the stud, and a spring interposed between the head ofthe screw and saidmember.`

`5. In an electric fan, a base including upper and lower sections,`the` upper section being pivotedto the base to shift about a transverse axis, the upper section being formed with a spindle, a

housing having a hub journalled onthe spindle,

a motor mounted in the housing, a fan mounted on the motor shaft outsidethe housing, kmotion transmitting means between the motor shaft and late about an upwardly extending axis, a motor mounted in the housing, afan connected to the motor shaft outside of the housing, motion'transmitting means between the motor shaft and the upper section of the base to effect oscillation of the housing including a shiftable clutch section extending lengthwise of the axis of the upper base section and operable to connect and disconnect the motion transmitting means and the upper base sectionpand an operating member i for the shiftable clutch section arranged coaxiallywith the transverse axis of the sections 7. In an electric fan, a base including upper and lower sections, the upper section beingpivoted to the base to shift about a transverse axis, the upper section being formed with an upwardly extending spindle, a support having a hub journalled on the spindle, a motor mounted on the support, a fan connected to the motor shaft to be rotated thereby, `motion transmitting means between the motor shaft and the spindle to cause oscillation of the support, the motion transmitting means including a shift'able clutchsection for connectingl and. disconnecting the motion transmitting means ,and the spindle, an operating member for the shiftable section arranged ccaxially with the transverse axis of the sections of the base,and connections extending lengthwise of the spindle between the operating member and the shiftable section.

` CARL BUTTNER. 

